Father-of-four seen nearly driving into oncoming traffic in Gants Hill has licence revoked for two years

Tommy Goodchild, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty at Barkingside Magistrates Court to using a stolen bank card in Romford shops including Essex Offy, Best One and branches of the Coop and Cost Cutter in August. Pic: ELLIE HOSKINS

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He had been for dinner with a friend in Gants Hill when he was stopped by officers, and they found two empty pint glasses in his car.

A 36-year-old father-of-four who was seen nearly driving into oncoming traffic in Gants Hill has been disqualified from driving for two years.

Daniel Rolando Pilaquinga Teran, of Hamilton Avenue, Romford, was driving back from dinner with a friend in Gants Hill when he was stopped by police.

Officers said that he had been stopped because he had been seen swerving across the road, and when they searched the car they found two empty pint glasses in the side door.

However Teran insisted he hadn’t been drinking whilst driving.

According to officers reports Teran was struggling to stand up when he was stopped.

However Teran refused to take a breathaliser test, and the court heard that he said he had panicked and was afraid of what might happen.

Teran also had no previous convictions.

At Barkingside Magistrates Court yesterday (Tuesday, September 11) Teran pleaded guilty to driving his Chevrolet car on Eastern Avenue in Gants Hill on at around 12.20am on Tuesday, August 28 without insurance or a valid driving licence.

The court heard that Teran had been planning to sell his car to pay for his post-graduate study which he was planning on embarking on.

The part-time telephone salesman had met a customer at work that day who was interested in buying his car, and the buyer asked if he could drive to Ilford to meet him to discuss more details.

After work Teran drove his car to Ilford (without a licence or insurance) - which he admitted was a poor decision - and the buyer never showed up.

Teran then drove to meet a friend and went for dinner at a restaurant in Gants Hill.

His probation officer said in court that Teran had had two drinks at dinner but did not think he was over the limit and decided to drive home to Romford.

This was when he was stopped by police.

Prosecuting, Mrs Pragati Patel said: “An off duty police officer saw a driver that they thought was under the influence of alcohol.

“He was asked to pull into the side of the road.

“The driver was nearly missing oncoming traffic

“Officers searched the vehicle and they found two empty pint glasses.”

Speaking at court, Teran’s probation officer said that he was extremely sorry and embarrased about the incident, and apologised to the court for his poor decision making.

Chair Mrs Shamin Govani said that his offence was serious enough to warrant a community order, and that he will have to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work.

She said that this would have been 180 hours but it was reduced because of his timely guilty plea.

Teran was also disqualified from drivng for two years, and fined a total of £270 (£85 victim surcharge, £85 costs and £100 fine)